HAMMOND, Ind. -- The Lewis University women's volleyball team recorded a huge victory Saturday (Oct. 19) as the Flyers defeated Ashland 3-0 in the seventh place game during the DII Midwest Region Crossover.

TEAM RECORDS
Lewis 14-7 | Ashland 12-7
                    
LEWIS LEADERS vs. Ashland
Kills:  Bella Ray (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet Catholic) (13) 
Digs: Ally Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) (18), Natalie Stefanski (Plainfield, Ill./Joliet West) (10) 
Assists: Rachel Kaczorowski (Carpentersville, Ill./Harry D. Jacobs) (21), Lily King (Channahon, IL) (12)
Aces: Hannah Alvey (Mapleton, Ill./Illinois Central College) (1), Kaczorowski (1), Stefanski (1)
Blocks:  Mallory Januski (Bourbonnais, Ill./Valparaiso) (4), Ray (4)

SET BREAKDOWN vs. Ashland
Set 1: Lewis 25, Ashland 14
Both teams scored five points each to start the opening set. Lewis then went on a rally and scored seven straight points which was capped off by a block from Januski and Lauren Buxton (Springfield, Ill./Pleasant Plains) which made it 12-5. 

The closest the Eagles got was eight (16-8) as the Flyers kept building its lead and made it four in a row after kills from Januski, Ray and Stefanski to extend the lead out to 20-8. Ashland tried to crawl its way back late in the set after recording back-to-back points but Lewis closed it out and won the next point and the set.

Set 2: Lewis 25, Ashland 16
Ashland recorded a kill to make it 6-5 Lewis early in the second set but that would be the closest the Eagles got the rest of the set as the Flyers went on to score four straight to extend its lead out to 10-5 after a pair of kills from Januski, Gracie Schultz (Minonk, Ill./Fieldcrest High School) and an ace from Alvey. The Eagles tried one last push after recording back-to-back points to make it 20-15 Lewis but the Flyers scored the next five out of six points to win the set 25-16.

Set 3: Lewis 25, Ashland 19
Both teams each scored two points to start the third set. The Flyers went on to score six consecutive points which was capped off by an ace from Stefanski and a kill from Buxton. 

Moments later, Alvey gave Lewis an 11-5 advantage after recording a kill but then Ashland surged back after scoring four straight to cut it down to two (11-9). The Flyers responded with five out of the next six including a pair of kills from Ray to jump back in front 16-10.

Ashland had one last fight in them after making it a three-point deficit late in the third set but Lewis responded with three straight again including kills from Januski and Alvey to make it 23-16. The Flyers would close out the third set 25-19 and the match 3-0 by sweeping the Eagles.
 
ALL-MIDWEST REGION TOURNAMENT TEAM
The all-tournament team will be announced tomorrow. Stay tuned on social media for the announcement. 

 
UP NEXT
Lewis will be back in action and resume Great Lakes Valley Conference play Saturday, October 26 as the Flyers take on University of Indianapolis starting at 2 p.m. CT.